Can-opener.



W. WHITFIELD.

CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1912.

1,052,298. Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

6 7 J 9 v 1 r V f I o I Z J I avwwlto'o m zzlzw 14% ztfn'eld.

wi/b wwoao I I 7 To all whom it may concern following is a specification.

PATENT OFFICE.

VIILILIAII WHITFIELD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAN-OPENER.

1,052,298, Specification 0! Letters Patent Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

Application filed February 27, 1912. Serial No. 680,258.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WHITFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of .Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Im provements in Can-Openers, of which the This invention relates to can openers and has for an object to provide a device of this character which will be provided with a very broad fulcrum or bearing surface whereby the device can be effectually rocked u on the can with a maximum degree of e ciency and without liability of the knife becoming dislodged from the can.

In the drawing forming a portion of this application and in which like letters of reference in icate similar parts in the several views :-Figure [is a perspective view of the can opener. Fig. 2 is a section therethrough taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view'of the device positioned for use as a corkscrew.

The can opener -1 shown herein is constructed from a sin le piece of suitable metal which is preferab y provided with a forwardly'reduced shank 2 and a rearwardly enlarged handle ortion 3, the latter having its e ges gradua ly merging into the edges of the shank 2 whereby pressure of the hand when brought to bear against the handle will not result in injury to the hand, and as illustrated the upper and lower edges of the said handle portion of the device are provided with flanges 4 which present very broad gripping surfaces against which the hand of the operator may be brought into contact. The lower flange 4 is curved into a fulcrum or hearing flange?) upon the lower edge of the shank 2. The flange 5' terminates rearwardly of the cut-ting blade 6 on the said shank 2 and it is disposed with such relationthereto as to effectually bear against the top of the can to be rocked thereon during the cutting of the top.

he shank 2 is provided at a point above the knife and in spaced relation thereto with a combined bearing and guiding member 7, the latter being disposed at right angles to the cutting edge of the knife 6 so as to find a firm contact with the top of. the can and to be followed by the knife 6 and to cooperate with the fulcrum or hearing portion 5 hereinbefore described so as to cause the knife to make an effective out without liability of its binding in a kerf or incision as is understood.

The handle portion 3 is provided with an opening 8' which has one of. its walls provided with a lifting flange 9 which is adapted to be engaged against the crimped portion of a bottle cap to effect the removal of the cap from the bottle. In addition to the elements of the dey'ice described the handle 3 preferably carries a pivotally mounted corkscrew or the like 10 which may be extended when desired at rightangles to the handle to permit the latter to be effectually manipulated with the resultant driving of the corkscrew in the cork.

I claim A can opener comprising an integral structure consisting of a member having a handle portion having an ovalshaped opening therein, and a vertically disposed shank. the shank being provided along its bottom and top longitudinal edges with angularly disposed upper and lower broad flanges, the forward end of said lower flange merging into a curved or fulcrumed bearing flange, the said upper flange merging into an upper bearing and guiding portion, the said bearing and guiding portions being disposed at right angles and in superposed relation to the plane of the cutting edge of the knife portion and terminatin short of the outer end of the knife and a lifting flange formed integral with the forward end of the opening, the said fulcrumed bearing flange being disposed below the plane of the knife and extending at right angles thereto and in a plane parallel with the said bearing and guiding portions, causing the knife to find a correct purchase upon the top of the can and preventing the knife from becoming caught between the walls of the kerf as the latter is formed in the can by the knife.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WHITFIELD;

Witnesses:

.CARRIE Wnrrrinw, CLAYTON D. Eonn'rrs. 

